Afterlife
by Breviary-Rose
Summary: Loki disappears after the events of New York, and Asgard must learn how to pick up the pieces. Convinced of Loki's death, Jane succumbs to the inevitable and unthinkable: marry her brother Thor to achieve a much needed peace. After years of prolonging the wedding, Jane finally accepts her fate and decides to set the date; however, her whole world is shattered when Loki returns.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Welcome to my new story entitled _Afterlife_! I've been planning and anticipating this story for a while now, and I decided I could not wait to post it on here to see the reception first. My story _Titanium_ will take first priority, but I really wanted to publish this story. So I am! The premise is a bit different, so please enjoy this story! I'm having fun with these new plot twists!**

SYNOPSIS

Loki disappears after the events of New York, and Asgard must learn how to pick up the pieces.  
Convinced of Loki's death, Jane succumbs to the inevitable and unthinkable: marry her brother Thor to achieve a much needed peace.  
After years of prolonging the wedding, Jane finally accepts her fate and decides to set the date; however, her whole world is shattered when Loki returns.

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_"When all the people in the realms told you of my death, you so easily believed them?" Loki devastatingly shouted, his teeth bare as he inhaled a sharp breath._

_The future queen of Asgard stepped forward. Jane's eyes stung as they were vulnerable to the cool air surrounding them. Shaking her head as she placed her hand over her heart, the mortal pleaded, "When all the people in the world did convince me, I died with you."_

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Upon the most poignant spire of stardust, a small human child wished for a single fragment of hope. While most girls her age were being spoiled with dollhouses and playing in their mothers' clothes, Jane Foster wanted to understand the stars and how the world acquired seven wonders in its lifetime.

While most girls her age were dressed in bright cheery pinks, plums, and burgundies, Jane Foster had been bundled up within too many layers of navies, blacks, and crimsons. While their hair was long, blond, and curly, Jane Foster's was of medium length, brown, and flat. While their eyes were bright and wondrous like weeping stars an evening after summer rain, hers were of mundane, brown backdrops.

While most fathers loved their daughters, Jane Foster's was a terrible drunk who took pleasure in hitting her mother senseless and threatening to touch his daughter in places a five-year-old would never begin to comprehend. The small, skinny girl recalled the reoccurring wish her heart hungered for since her third birthday.

Every holiday, birthday, and family gathering where candles were present, the frail, quiet girl internally cried out for a second chance. Was it her fault she was unhappy? Had she done something bad to make her father shout out her when she tried to show him her good grades or artwork from school?

In a desperate attempt to shove away the pain for another disappointing tomorrow, Jane Foster wept uncontrollably as she perched atop her house in the middle of the New Mexican desert. She gathered her knees in her arms and hunched over as her shaking shoulders refused to tuck into the comfort of the darkness.

Yesterday, her mother had attempted to kill herself while her only child played in the next room over. Her mother had taken a rope she'd collected from outside and hung it through a rafter in the high ceiling. The woman had stood atop a chair and kicked it away quickly. Jane had heard the unfamiliar noises from the kitchen, and so she'd saved her mother.

When her mother came back to consciousness, she told Jane she had been a bad girl. As punishment, the girl's mother had taken away her toys and locked her in her room for the rest of the night, skipping dinner and breakfast until she was allowed to come out for lunch with her father.

The girl was startled as she heard a loud _thump_ as the front door slammed shut. "Jane! Damn Brat! Get yer ass down from there!" her father shouted, clearly drunk. The odor radiated from his pores into the open, fresh air.

The girl gasped and scurried to the back of the house to use the ladder to climb back down from the roof of the decaying home. As her father continued to shout after her, Jane dashed out into the desert. Normally, her father wouldn't bother to chase after her. She planned to travel the three miles to her haven until morning. At least she would be safe there.

Yet, this night proved different when something impacted into the back of her head. The assault caused her to fall to her knees. Her heart lurched forward out of her chest cage, hurting her at the rate it chose. The girl winced loudly as her hand tried to move upward to cradle the wound. As her vision clouded, she heard a loud _bang_ against the ground, the object by her side echoing like old, rusted metal.

As her eyes settled more clearly over the offending object, the young girl saw that her father had beat her with a shovel. But as she finally reached the back of her head, her father snatched her arms and brought them together in one arm. Jane began to cry hysterically, "Papa, stop!"

His fist collided with her shoulder, "You shut yer mouth you little bitch!"

"No, you're hurting me, father! Please stop! I'm so scared!" Jane shouted, pleading to an unknown force for her mother to walk out of the house.

He rolled her over so that she was on her back and shoved his fist in her cheek. Quickly, he roughly struck her in her stomach so she wouldn't shout anymore. Finally, he grabbed her neck and began to ring the life from her veins and lungs. She instinctually clutched at his hands, her nails digging into his skin. He didn't seem to notice, though.

Her tears began to weigh the equivalent of elephant on her skin. Suddenly, his grip loosened when she thought she would certainly lose consciousness. Her chest expanded in a desperate attempt to collect herself again, but her father hit her in her chest. Her eyes bugged nearly out of each of their sockets when she felt a crack in her side.

If she were capable, she would have howled.

She felt his hands at her waist, fumbling with her buckle. All she could do was continue to cry, until she gathered the courage to look down. Her father was so busy trying to get her pants undone that she found an opening. With all of her might, the girl threw her foot in her father's crotch, causing him to withdraw and fall over as he clutched the area.

While he was distracted, the weak girl reached for the shovel and swung it toward the front of his face, knocking him out. Barely able to stand, Jane wobbled out into the desert. Her heart broke and sank inside the depths of hopelessness, but she continued on victoriously. The five-year-old refused to look back. Limping unstably, she winced and whined with every step.

Eventually, she had tread at least a mile when she sank onto the hard, cold surface of the desert floor. Her lungs threatened to cave in on themselves because when she tried to cry out, no noise emitted her small pair of bruised lips.

All she heard was silence. No disturbances save the crickets and the pitter-patter of their footsteps. The traumatized girl closed her eyes and continued to ball. She could move no limb. The girl was purely and wholly exhausted. At least she'd ran away, but now she knew she would die alone.

Despite pain incinerating every nerve in her small, failing body, Jane opened her lips and whimpered, "_Alas my love you do me wrong...To cast me off...discourteously; And I have loved you oh...so long, Delighting in your company. __Greensleeves...was my delight, __Greensleeves...my heart of gold, Greensleeves was my...heart of joy, And who but my lady...Greensleeves."_

With the utterance of the last syllable, a bright light ignited from the sky down unto where she lay. And that was when the gods finally answered her prayers.

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**_1 day later..._**

"My dear, you are safe here. Do you understand? You are my daughter no matter what anyone tells you otherwise. You are no longer completely human, as your mortality has been lifted to allow you to live a long and happy life here in Asgard. You are ours as we are yours, you understand?" Frigga warmly told the silent girl.

Jane only nodded, still shaken from both her attack and this dream reality. The girl was convinced she was dead and that this was heaven. She glanced down at her no longer bruised hands and fidgeted with her fingers a bit as she bit her lips together, forming a tight, flat line.

The queen reached cautiously for the girl's hands and gathered them into hers, "You are healed and in good spirits, child. You are safe here."

The girl stared absently at the woman's hands and eventually smiled. Peeking through her bangs, Jane nodded, "Thank you."

Frigga reciprocated the youthful smile, "You are very much welcome, dear." The queen paused only for a moment before standing, "We must introduce you to your brothers, now. Come along."

The woman tenderly aided the girl from the soft, white bed. They still linked hands as they found a suitable, slow pace to follow side by side. Jane didn't know whether to admire the beautiful surroundings, or the queen's attire. In her mind, this woman appeared the goddess of all mermaids, as she was clad in periwinkles, soft blues, and vivid greens. She reminded Jane of the sea.

"Will they like me?" the girl eventually choked, her hand tightening in the adult's.

Frigga nodded boldly and sealed her hand over the smaller girl's, "Oh, yes. Though you are quite younger than they are, they will appreciate your charms immensely."

"I hope so," she quietly added.

"Oh, look, here they are! Loki! Thor? I have someone here you must meet," Frigga began, calling attention to the smallest in the group, "This is Jane. Just will henceforth be your younger sister. She was brought here by accident, but your father has seen the atrocities she would face should she return to her home realm. No longer is she a human mortal, but one of us. You will take extra lengths to make her feel welcome and very much a part of our family. Correct?"

Thor glanced down at the small girl awkwardly and sent his mother a questioning look, but knelt down before the girl. The quick invasion of her space caused the small girl to cower behind Frigga. Thor held up his hands and laughed, "You're the skittish little one aren't you? My name is Thor. We're to be family from now on."

When Jane only clutched Frigga's fabrics tighter, the taller, leaner man dressed in green armor rested his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You've never been any good with children. You're too much of a brute."

Thor turned his attention away from the girl and scoffed at his brother's words, "I take those as words of a challenge, brother."

Loki simply rolled his eyes and shoved past Thor. He raised his hand gently over Jane's head, setting his palm over the top of it to rub quickly back and forth. Without meeting her gaze, the prince walked gracefully toward the opposite direction. "Charmed," he greeted the girl before she was out of earshot range.

Jane turned her head toward the tall and fleeting figure and smiled wondrously.

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**_6 years later..._**

Jane ran around in circles as Heimdall guarded the bifrost. Her laughter could be heard throughout most of the area, which many citizens enjoyed. Jane's presence was often sought after, despite her reclusive nature. Presently, her arms were extended at her shoulders' height and she was spinning around the large circular room mimicking the flight path of a bird.

The dark-skinned man in the center of the room had his arms crossed as he stood behind the sword in the center of the room, though his features were light as he intently listened to the girl's happiness flow like music through the wind.

"Heimdall?" she called, clearly out of breath.

His bright eyes scanned over to where she halted, watching her as she held her hands to her knees shoving breath in and out of her lungs, "Yes, Jane?"

"How are they doing?" she asked somberly. He didn't see her face, but he knew what sort of expression lied about her features.

He moved his arms so that they were behind his back, walking toward the edge of the bifrost. He narrowed his eyes and focused in on whom she spoke of, "They think of you in this moment."

"That doesn't answer my question," she fought.

Heimdall bit back a smile, "You're incredibly stubborn for someone so small. And I'm not required to answer to you. I have no loyalties sworn to you, but to Odin."

"Forget about that for a second, and focus on me for once," she whined as any young growing young lady would.

"You ask me to denounce my duty to my king?" he replied swiftly.

The young girl groaned frustratedly, "No! I'm asking you how my birth parents are! Please don't make me beg."

"Your mortal ones are not faring well, young princess. He continues to waste away, while your mother...escorts other men," he informed carefully.

"You realize Thor has completely ruined my innocent ears, right? You and Loki both treat me like I haven't heard the sounds that come from both of my brothers' rooms at night," she countered proudly.

"We should continue to wait for your brothers in silence," Heimdall muttered, causing Jane to giggle. Quickly, Heimdall rushed to the sword and readied the bifrost for travel. Shortly after that, Lady Sif, Thor, and Loki emerged from the rainbow bridge.

The young princess rushed toward Thor, who picked her up and spun her high above his head. Jane frantically chuckled as she scurried in his arms to get down. "Hello, small sister. It seems that you weren't kind enough to wait in the throne room like mother and father," Thor teased.

Jane shoved at him, "You're smelly!"

Lady Sif cut in, "We're all a bit put out from out journey, my darling."

"Oh, this odor is only from Thor!"

"Enough!" Loki hissed, glaring down at Jane. He walked toward the entrance of the bifrost and turned back toward her, "There is no time to deal with you right now, child. Go now."

The sudden outburst caught Jane off guard. Her large brown eyes bore into his concealed, grey ones. Eventually, she nodded and scampered off down the bridge on the horse she'd brought with her.

When she was gone, Thor closed in on his brother and shook his shoulders, "That is no way to treat our sister."

Loki snapped his attention at his words, "She is _not_ my sister, brother. She was a bother, she needed to know. Now, excuse me." The elusive prince instantly fled the bifrost to meet with the king and queen. Soon after, Thor and Sif departed after inquiring what Jane had asked about while waiting. But like every question Jane demanded to know the answer to, Heimdall refused to disclose her answer to them.

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**What do you think? Shall I continue? Review and tell me what you'd like to see in this story! It is a romance story and sort of explores an uncharted idea in my opinion! I've been impatiently waiting to post this! See you soon!**

**Breviary-Rose (:**


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, as obvious as it is, I've not posted in quite some time. I found myself sitting with a nice cold case of illness, a dose of sadness, and stress from not having enough to pay for rent. Forgive me for my absence. I assure you that I will not be gone for this long again. I inserted an older memory in this chapter to introduce a few things. Please enjoy! :D**

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_"Absence and death are the same - only that in death there is no suffering."_  
- Theodore Roosevelt

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"What was it that you wished to discuss, my Jane?" Odin hesitantly asked as he strolled through the family gardens with the young princess.

Jane brushed her fingers through her long brown hair nervously, but took a breath and decided to bluntly reply, "I wish to visit Midgard."

The king glanced down at the budding young woman in outrage, "Absolutely not."

The girl scrunched her features together in reluctant resistance. Balling her fists and placing them on her hips, Jane drew her head back, "Why not?"

The old ruler slammed his staff against the hard stone floor where he stood. They were surrounded with flowers of Loki and Frigga's choosing, lush shades of violets, crimsons, and blues framed their position. The young princess then lifted her brow as if to challenge her king. When his expression slackened, she opened her mouth to speak, but he held a single finger against her thin lips, shaking his head, "No, Jane. You are just a child. And on top of that, you have not responded to the gifts I instilled within you when you became my daughter."

"That doesn't matter! I want to go; I have to go!" she choked. Her eyes were dewy with a fresh bouquet of tears.

Odin exhaled, "Why must you go? What is there that is so urgent?"

The girl bit her lip apprehensively, "I cannot tell."

"Your own father? What is there that cannot be shared?" Odin retorted hastily.

"You wouldn't understand. There's no way I could explain my feelings without hurting you or Frigga," the thirteen-year-old quickly replied, almost choking on her own words.

The king bore a patient and light expression regarding his youngest child. "Try your best," he encouraged.

Jane bit her lip and reached for his hands gently. Her hands were so small in comparison to his. "You know that I will never not appreciate all that you have done for me since I came here. I will be forever indebted to you and Frigga. I love you both so dearly. You gave me a family, happiness, and safety. All things I never dreamed about as a child.

"But you can never know how big the hole is in my heart knowing there is a part of my life I can never experience. My parents are the worst, but I have questions only they can answer. I wonder if they think about me ever. I fear that my life was all an accident and that I really shouldn't exist at all. But most of all, I am afraid of a man that I don't know. I see him in my sleep or when I close my eyes.

"With each passing year, my memories slip away, and in time, they'll be gone. But I will always be fearful of that man. I need closure. I need it so badly that it's all I can think about. Please let me go?" Jane pleaded.

Odin knelt down on one knee and shook his head slowly. He brought her in his arms and cradled her neck with his palm, "Listen well, child, I will never let him harm you. You must understand that I cannot allow you to venture near that monster."

Jane pushed him away and stomped her feet against the marble under her feet, "I'm thirteen! You allow Thor and Loki to venture to far off places. They get to find adventure and bravery, while you keep me here locked away in the highest tower? It's not fair, Odin! Am I your keepsake or your prisoner? I'm surely not your daughter..."

Odin delicately grabbed the girl, bringing her closer to him again, "Jane, you must never say such things! Do you understand? This is precisely why I cannot allow you to leave Asgard. You are too young in your head!"

The girl violently shook her head, "Was I too young to nearly be violated by my biological father? When will I be free to decide what to do with my own life?"

Briefly, the king of Asgard dug his nails in the fabrics of her periwinkle clothes, causing her to wince. When he saw her discomfort, he eased his inner tension, "You'll be wise and not compare me to that monster, Jane. You're no more a prisoner here than you are my sons: your brothers! You must be protected at all costs for my sake. Until your abilities shape, I will not stand for you to be placed in danger."

"You know that's not fair! Loki and Thor have had eons to develop their talents! I've only been here for eight years!" she bickered.

Odin let her go and reached for her hands calmly. "Young Jane, please understand my decision," he quietly told her as he walked away from her.

Jane lifted the back of her hand to her mouth in disbelief, her shoulders heaving. Her eyes glistened, but she would not allow her eyes to weep.

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**_Three years later..._**

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The sound of music could be heard echoing from the main chamber of the palace to the last breeches of the city. Smiles, laughter, and dancing embroidered the mood of all of Asgard. Not only did those of the highest prestige and valor attend, but also the common folk. The occasion was Jane's birthday. She was now sixteen years old, and, as a public figure embedded into everyone's admiration, Jane was now one of the most eligible young prospects for marriage in the realm.

Being only sixteen, many young men had come in hopes to achieve her affections. And the very girl could find no easy way to politely refuse every marriage prospect she gained with each dance the music led her through.

The princess of Asgard was adorned with the rarest of gems and the most precious of fabrics. Yet, the only adornment the realm truly admired was her chestnut hair that draped over her shoulders in curls, tight helixes that seemed to flow as softly as water within a river. The top layers of her hair were tightly confined to a headpiece that extended out into feathers about six inches.

The color of her long, lustrous locks were a rarity among the vast shades of ebony and blond. Although her face was lightly dusted in the most fashionable of makeup, she still appeared quite natural. Her skin was vastly more delicate than the ladies of the court, simply because most of the other ladies had seen at least one battle in their plethora of centuries of life.

Put simply, Jane was the catch of the occasion. And she wanted no part in the title coveted by her peers.

Her attire was not of big skirts or top-heavied adornment. The gown she wore was embellished by the same silver chest armor her mother, Frigga, wore on a day to day basis. As a standing of tradition, the ladies of the crown wore silver, while the men tended to wear gold. Occasionally silver was indeed thrown over their under clothes as a matter of fashion, instead of purpose.

The color of the fabrics was appreciated only by her father, Thor, and her mother. While Jane personally admired olives, lavenders, and opals, the stern majority of her family desired her to equip harsher colors, such as maroons, oranges, and pinks, which was the color scheme of her current dress. In her personal opinion, she felt the colors clashed too roughly against her medium, tanned skin tone.

Jane quickly recalled the expression her older brother, Loki, displayed as she slowly crept down the grand staircase of the residential suites of the palace. His brows had furrowed together, eyes narrowing displeasingly, and stature immediately straightening. She knew of his displeasure toward her. He'd never quite been nice, nor caring regarding his makeshift younger sister.

When asked about her, he'd almost always retort with a quick, "She's not my sister."

A piece of her felt horrid to make him be here this wondrous, yet lonesome night. Another piece of her felt out of place. Although she knew the Asgardian customs, culture, and lifestyle, Jane always thought of her biological parents back on earth.

Perhaps she had brothers and sisters. Perhaps they would have sobered up eventually. Perhaps her mother finally left her father and found happiness? Did either of them think of her or where she was? Had they ever loved her at all?

Her quaint, feigned smile eventually slackened as she rounded the corner of the balcony overlooking the city outside. It was dark, but not quite late. She wanted nothing more than to speak with Loki, but she would not wish to inconvenience him. Perhaps he'd have a new novel for her? She found herself most eager to see his gift, but didn't know why.

Ever since her fourteenth year, her opinion of Loki had drastically changed. Once, he was her brother. Now, he was a stranger: someone foreign to her. She hadn't known when precisely things had changed: only that they had. Jane folded her hands together behind her back as she leaned against the massive wall. The music was muffled out where space and time ceased to matter.

Only months ago had she shown signs of possessing any abilities. A nearby garden rested to her left. The young girl travelled the quick distance to the patch and kneeled down before it. Extending her hand, she waved her hand over the budding flowers, the buds blooming instantly. A sharp smile grazed her thin, tight lips.

Softly, she chuckled. Although not nearly as capable as destructive as Thor, nor nearly as deceitful as Loki, Jane's abilities allowed her to rush life in nature and in people. She'd only recently discovered that she could heal others. Though she was quite bad at anything bigger than a simple scratch, Jane knew that with practice, she would one day be able to heal others fully. At least she hoped.

Maybe then would she be allowed to visit Midgard.

With the lingering pain of her past, Jane's eyes saddened. "As long as Odin remains king, I'll never go anywhere."

"Well, as it remains to be seen, in just a few more years, father will be naming an heir," a dominant, male voice cooed from just behind her.

Jane gasped, her hand moving over her chest armor as if the gesture would calm her rapid heartbeat. "Loki?"

"Indeed," he replied quickly, moving away from her as she stood. His expression still appeared lame, decisively calculated.

Swallowing, the young girl stepped forward so he would hear her hushed tone, "I've not seen you nearly all night. Why did you sneak up on me?"

He lifted a brow as if the question went deeper than her intentions. "I'm always sneaking around, aren't I?"

"Never toward me. You've not actually initiated conversation with me in nearly four years, if I'm correct in my recollection," she hastily countered, suspicious.

"Stop asking questions and hush. I actually came to deliver your gift from me. Although I normally try to avoid such trivialities, I assumed that since this night was among the biggest occasions in your short life thus far, I should allowance you with at least one trinket from me," he said incredibly passive, authoritative. A wave of his arrogant demeanor washed over Jane, nearly drowning her completely.

"I wish you'd like me, Loki. I fear we'd get along quite well. I'm not here to replace you or your standing with Odin and Frigga. I'm unsure of the reason that you must find me so unbearable, but whatever I did, please accept my sincerest apologies," Jane confidently spoke.

He stood before her and looked down at her hand, grasping it in his own and lifting his other hand. He allowed an object to fall just before it touched her exposed palm. Upon a silver chain, a golden pendant hung. As he lowered the apparatus into her hand, she quickly saw that the pendant was in the shape of an upside-down triangle.

Before she could fully inspect his gift, he cleared his throat quietly, "The metal matches the material used for my armor. In my last venture into the nine realms, my opponent ruined the left horn of my helmet. Unfortunately, I had my smith tailor it down to match once more. In that experience, I also asked him to shape the scrap pieces into your pendant."

Her eyes feasted over the artifact in wonder. This was the single most beautiful thing anyone could have ever gifted to her. Although she was happy, he must have misunderstood her concentrated expression for disproval.

"You do not like it," he stated in blatant anger.

She erratically shook her head, "No! I was only admiring it! You have no idea what this means to me, Loki. Everyone has only given me jewels or silks. You're the only one to be so thoughtful. It surprised me that something like this would come from someone like you."

Briefly, a small smile lifted from the edges of his mouth. The gesture was quickly swapped by a hardened, arrogant smirk. "No one else has nearly enough sense to know you."

"But you don't know me at all, Loki."

His artificial smirk lowered, as if he'd said something incredibly wrong and only just realizing it. He glanced away toward the opening of the ball carrying on from within. Eventually turning back to gaze over her, he placed his hands over her shoulders and spun her around so that her back was toward him. "Lift your hair."

She complied with his request.

"Hold still while I attach this around your neck. Good girl," he mentioned in the uncomfortable silence settled between them. Upon the clasp successfully linking with the other side of the chain, he lowered his hands back onto her shoulders, gripping lightly. She noticed his hands were shaking. About to turn back around to see if he was all right, his grip tightened, "Don't turn around. Hold still, Jane. Do not move."

"...Fine," she agreed, wishing for nothing more than to run back into the ball for safety. She had never known him to be so affectionate toward her: giving her gifts, touching her so.

"You are right in your previous assumption. I do not like you, Jane. I've never liked you. I cannot say I ever shall," he whispered into her ear, which caused her to shiver lightly. With her breath caught, she realized she could not reply. And although his touch was cool, she was frightened to realize she didn't want him to leave her.

Eventually, she braved a small reply, "Why?"

His fingers lamely moved over her back until his thumb rested at the top of her spine over her exposed skin. With her hair split over her shoulders, his thumb dominated over the flesh until she felt him lean over and kiss the very spot. The act was gentle, emotional, and completely intimate.

Jane instantly glanced over her shoulder to investigate what was going on, only her jaw was claimed by his hand and her lips by his. Her eyes instantly widened as she froze. His free hand moved to the opposite shoulder, guiding her to turn around toward him again. After she settled in a position pleasing enough for him, Loki pulled her closer and pushed her against the massive structure of the palace.

Jane had no idea what to do. Shock was still washing over her bones in a clamor of waves too forceful for her to even breathe. Her eyes closed, and she moaned quietly. Upon hearing the sound, he moved his arms around her and cradled her neck possessively. Awkwardly, she raised her arms so that she could hold onto his shoulders for dear life.

Sensations quaked through her. Emotions she could not understand ebbed through her veins. The very depth of her soul was being maneuvered out of her very skin. Just as he deepened their kiss, he pulled away and shoved himself away from her in a rapid, unexpected movement.

Her chest heaved rapidly. Her eyes opened, seeing his fingers move over his lips quickly. His eyes never left hers. In another hasty movement, he brushed his lips across her forehead and finally brought his lips over hers gently. Lifting himself off of her only an inch, he quietly ordered, "If you wish to know me, then wear this pendant everyday until your eighteenth year. Everyday, Jane. It cannot ever leave your chest. I've waited for you for so long, and now I'm asking you to wait for me."

Jane lifted her hand to move over his cheek just as he was about to retreat, "What do you mean? What does this mean?"

"Time will tell, Jane. For now, I must go before anyone notices I've left," he added, breathless.

"No, don't leave me yet."

For a fragment of a moment, Jane saw Loki's smile. His hands grasped her jaw tenderly as he shook he head, "Oh, Jane. You'll never be rid of me."

AS the words left his mouth, he pulled away from her and walked without looking back.

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**Thank you for all of your great feedback! I'll be posting _Titanium_ by this Wednesday at the very latest! :D REVIEW?**

**Breviary-Rose (:**


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Without taking up too much time, here is chapter 3! Just for you!**

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_"Take me back into the arms I love  
Need me like you did before  
Touch me once again."_

- Celine Dion

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**_Two years later..._**

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The morning appeared like any other. The way the bright rays burst through the large, dwelling clouds would normally soothe the heart of any in Asgard. The warmth of the rays kissed Jane's skin delicately, though she'd grown bitter to any kindred warmth.

The young lady stood out on the terrace of her brother, Loki's, bedroom. This morning marked two years and one day from her sixteenth year. Not once had the man of her dreams slipped away from reality, but also her heart. The last half of her time in waiting had become a period of mourning.

No longer did she yearn for him to return to her. No longer would she worry for him. Jane could not bear a heavy heart any longer. Two years of waiting were lost. Loki had stolen a great many things, but her biggest gamble had been her patience.

Jane could not give credence to her strong, emblematic feelings toward her cold and heartless older brother. He'd tricked her. He had not come back upon the evening of her eighteen birthday. In fact, he'd not ever returned from the morning after her ball when he had departed to some other realm to calm a brewing war.

Whilst he was wandering with the vibrant wonder of glory, Jane had been a trinket locked away to be only admired by her family. Odin had made it clear to banish her from returning to Midgard. So long as he lived, she would never step foot outside of the realm that had saved her from death so long ago.

She felt isolated, imprisioned.

The princess admired the mountains in view from the terrace. This view had always been her favorite, and was the reason she'd eventually convinced her mother to switch rooms next door to Loki's. Throughout time, he'd always been her guardian mystery. He was pale when most other Aesir were warm-toned. His eyes were a striking clash of unfamiliar green and place, icy blue.

Time had fooled her into loving him. And like a fool, she'd been thoroughly mocked.

From her recollection, Frigga mentioned his brief return over a year ago. He'd only come to see his father to relay the news of wherever he was. He'd made sure to remain far away from Jane. That was the instant the young girl had known of his deceit.

Jane began to turn, walking back inside his vacant room. Her eyes scanned over his bed, hands clutching the pendant he'd given her. More than enough time had passed. She would take his unspoken message and move on.

As she neared his large bed in the center of the massive space, she raised her hands over his pillows, carefully setting necklace on the lush fabrics. With the artifact out of her possession, she would be able to move forward with her life.

Without taking another glance at the artifact, she walked out of his quarters. Her attire was no longer soft, feminine dresses and robes, but of a pair of tight leggings that were enchanted to brave severe damage without harming her. A sheer periwinkle fabric hung at her left shoulder and fell nearly to her lower thigh above the back of her knee, replacing the traditional cape the royal family was often seen fashioning.

Light gray under clothes could be seen through the areas without the bright silver armor. Each breast had its own plate, unlike her mother that had one plate covering her chest, raising higher over one shoulder. Finally, a drop in the torso pieces extended to cover her bum, covered in shiny silver plated armor. Her feet and hands were adorned in olive gloves and boots reaching her knees.

As the princess traveled from the living quarters with pronounced haste, the servants and palace workers all greeted her carefully. Jane made a point to not reply or return the greetings. She would no longer accept the image Odin had paved her to be. Over the last year, she'd bribed Sif to teach her how to defend herself.

The task had not been easy, but Jane was not blind to the goddess of war's feelings toward her brother, Thor. Upon mentioning the sentiment, both women had come to an agreement. Now, Jane could best many of the warriors serving the king. Not all, but many, indeed.

Her weapon of choice were daggers custom made for her. The grips of the two smaller weapons extended nearly seven inches, and each side of the grip had a blade tilted had a forty-five degree angle opposite of each other, almost making the shape of lightning. Both duel-sided daggers were carefully stored in their sheathes behind her on her waist band.

Although her hair was still moderately long, Jane had cut off at least a foot and a half of the length the previous night. She had always adored her mane; however, she was tired of being treated like a princess. She wasn't one and had never been one. Her lustrous brown hair fell just over her shoulders in a few dimensional layers.

She had overheard the workers gossiping about how Thor's hair was now longer than hers. She cared not. Her goal was to be as anti-Jane as possible. And she succeeded.

"Jane!" a raspy male voice called after her.

As the girl turned, seeing Dravice, a smile touched her mouth, "Dravice, how are you?"

Dravice, son of the smith that tailored her weapons for her, eagerly caught up to her, "I just rushed over here to train with Lady Sif. She says I have been personally selected by the Allfather to demonstrate my skills."

Although Jane's eyes narrowed, she still held her smile together, "Is that so?"

"Yes, and I could not be happier! My father always said I was the runt of my family. Now, I have the chance to defend my loved ones," he explained.

"I'm very happy for you, Dravice. You've even helped me refine my combat skills. More than that, you're my best friend," she encouraged, her hand fondly covering his shoulder lightly.

"Lady Jane, you've done me a service, too! I can never think how to repay you!"

Jane laughed out loud, "First, you can calm down. You've always been a little boisterous, but never like this. Secondly, Please call me Jane. I no longer wish to be sen as the beloved princess. I'm your peer, your friend. Understand?"

"Even so, you're more capable than I. And even though I have lived hundreds of years more than you, you're physically my elder," the blonde adolescent choked.

The lady simply shook her head, "You're hopeless, Dravice. Don't fret, but I'm the one you'll be sparring with today. I want to make an impression on the Allfather just as much as you do."

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**_Four years earlier..._**

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A loud noise woke the young princess from her deep slumber. As her chest heaved, she sat up and gripped the blanket roughly in shock, "What's going on?"

When no one had answered, she decided that she would ask the guards outside her room what was going on, so she crawled out of bed and moved to the door of her chambers, but did not see any guards.

Lifting a brow, she quietly stepped out of the shadows of her room and into the lit hallway, "What could it be?" Nervous, she bit her lip briefly as she tiptoed along the large golden wall to investigate further.

The fourteen year old girl rounded the corner and halted in her tracks. Just down the hall, Loki held a much older woman in his arms. As they continued their...discussion, her legs had essentially given up all functionality. So when she gasped and he opened his eyes at the disturbance, he practically threw the lady of the court she could not recognize in the height of the night out of his arms, but remained where he stood.

"Precocious, little tyrant, Jane. Should you be out at this hour?" he said lowly as he took slow, but earth shattering steps toward her.

Jane started to back away as he drew closer, but still retorted, "You woke me up."

"Impossible. Your room is not on this level let alone on this side of the palace," he reasoned, closing in where she was.

Her breathing grew more urgent, but she refused to give into his taunting, "I had Frigga move me over to this side because I love the view of the mountains. My room is next to yours now."

Instead of continuing forward, he halted, "How...inconvenient."

Once again, Jane bit her lip anxiously. "I'm sorry, I won't tell anyone."

"Just...return to your chambers, little tyrant," he ordered devilishly.

And she did, but could not fall back asleep.

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**_Five years later..._**

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_BANG!_ A large glass fell onto the floor, heard by all within the vicinity. Shouting could be heard from even further away.

"Jane, do you ever think of what your actions will cause?" Thor bellowed, viciously angered.

Remaining stoic, yet forceful, the nineteen-year-old gentlewoman crossed her arms over her armored chest, "Have you finished with this tantrum, Thor?"

"TANTRUM?! I am thoroughly furious at what you've done!" he rationalized quickly, his fists shaking as they firmly held the back of a tall chair in the dining court.

Sighing impatiently, Jane shook her head as her voice rose a bit, "I did what was best for that boy! I _saved_ him. I would rather try to get to the bottom of the attack, instead of bickering about me defending my home."

"You should have called me, Odin, or Loki! We're here to defend you and Asgard," he seethed. In a fit of rage, he threw the chair out of the opening between the massive columns supporting the high ceiling, causing a splash in the pond outside.

"Thor, you're not my father. I have no father. What I do is certainly nothing you should reprimand me for. The only one I'll listen to for guidance and punishment is Odin. You're my brother, Thor. I love you, and should you be named heir, I will follow you always. Until then, I'm my own person," Jane spat viciously.

"You are just a girl, Jane. You have to be mindful of those who love you, who care for you," he explained, a little more calm than before.

Jane looked away at the empty table, her head shaking, "How can you even ask for my to rely on either you or Loki when you two are always gone?"

Thor moved closer to her place by the table and wrapped his arms around her, "No matter where we are, we shall always hear your cry of need, sister."

Vacantly, Jane waited a few seconds before pushing Thor away from her, "Excuse me for not believing that."

"How can you say that?" her elder brother brokenly asked.

Pointedly, Jane squarely met his hues and replied, "Because neither you nor Loki have ever helped me see _them_."

"I would never go against the Allfather's orders, Jane."

"You _do_ it all of the damned time, Thor! You're so full of vengeance and your rage-poisoned code of honor. Neither of you will make a good king if you can't see what's right in front of you!"

Thor bit back his menacing retort. Instead, he exhaled and released the tension in his fists, "Jane, what I do on the battlefield and what I am required to do here are two very different things."

"I've defended Asgard a plethora of times when the both of you are away. Even a few times when Odin is gone, too! I may not kill my enemies, but that doesn't mean I can't or won't," the younger girl added. "It's just my preference to chose life over death."

"Your heart is pure, Jane. Make no mistake, that is not a weakness. You still achieve a raw innocence I can no loner claim, nor Loki. Battle has made us change in ways we still cannot understand. Although honor is glorious, I have had to do many things I am not proud of in order to gain such titles," Thor gently commented.

"Thank you, Thor. I know you mean well. I just don't think I belong here," she confided quickly. Eventually, she added, "I must go. I think Frigga wished to speak to me as well in the gardens."

Thor reached for her hand and delicately squeezed, "I've never seen you so lost, passionate, and vigorous as you have been this afternoon."

"You said that battle changed you. Being kept hidden away here has changed me."

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Jane slowly entered the gardens, lulled by the sweet fragrance of the roses, daisies, and lilies scattered throughout the vast, open space. Since childhood, the gardens had always been a private place for her to think, to cry, and to smile.

The breeze stifled all thoughts for a moment, giving her a sense of brief, yet everlasting peace. As her soul was soothed, healed, she opened her eyes, seeing only Loki standing by the small stream in the center of the gardens.

Her breath caught, causing Loki to shift to face her. As she immediately began to turn around, hands claimed her wrists. Jane looked back as the figure of the Loki she'd first saw faded away. "Of course. An illusion," she dryly said without looking at the unfamiliar man holding her in place.

"Jane," he greeted.

"Why are you here? More importantly, why are you accosting me in the one place I thought I could seek solitude?"

"Look at me, please," he replied, simply ignoring her queries altogether.

"You know I can't, brother," Jane stubbornly retorted, emphasizing the one word he could not bear.

His grip over her tightened possessively, "I am _not_ your brother!" His voice was a curt hiss: a whisper rather a statement.

Without further thought, his response trigger the younger royal to glare at him, eyes meeting his open, heated gaze. "Loki," she uttered helplessly.

"_Finally," _he began as his forehead lowered to rest against hers, "I hear you say my name."

She couldn't remember if she had been as tall the last time they'd been so close on that frightening, maddening sixteenth birthday. Although she certainly did not meet his stature, she'd grown significantly in the three years they'd been apart. Shaking her head as if to pull herself out of his haze, Jane lightly pushed against him in order for him to let her go. "I need you to leave me alone," she pleaded.

"I cannot. I thought time would be good for us both, but I was naive to believe such a farce. You have very reason to be cross with me, but please do not seclude yourself from me. I cannot bear it any longer," he admitted softly, desperately.

Boldly, Jane withdrew one arm from his grasp, "Never once did you come to see me, Loki. I waited everyday for two years for you: just like you asked me to. I wore that pendant without fail. I thought at the very least you could treat it like a bargain. I give you two years, and you give me what I've always wanted."

Sadly, he asked, "What have you always craved?"

"To know why you've always hated me, yet kissed me out of nowhere three years ago. I want to know you. You showed me that I want to be with you, but I cannot give that to either of us. You tricked me into feeling things I'd have otherwise been ignorant to," she confessed unabashed. Her eyes closed and her hand moved to his cold cheek.

"I cannot confide that information to you yet. You were never a bargain, a trick, or a transaction. You've been a torment to me ever since you came here," Loki urged ardently. His skin tightened at her touch.

Shaking her head, Jane pushed away from him, finding strength from somewhere unknown to her, "I can't trust you anymore. You tricked me. Whether or not you see it that way, I see it that way. And if that matters to you at all, you'll do your best to stay away from me at all costs."

Expression changing, altering, Loki stoically straightened. His arrogant features pronounced just what he cared to portray, "Fine."

But it was not he that walked away from her that day in the gardens, but she from him.

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**Don't worry, these flashbacks will not be the style of the whole story. I just want to introduce how they came to love each other before the real plot begins! :D I don't want you to miss it! REVIEW so chapter 4 will come quicker!**

**Breviary-Rose (:**


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